How To Make Friends Online: Safety Tips, Fun Ideas and Icebreakers.

Wondering how to make friends online? Here are a few tips and strategies to get you started — plus a look at apps like Azar that make it happen.

In many ways, the internet is like a giant park. Some people are having fun on the swings, slides and monkey bars while others play tag in the grass. But that means playground rules apply: To make new friends, you’ll have to find the group you want to hang out with and join in on the fun things they’re doing.

Luckily, that’s easy online. All you have to do is find the right “playground,” whether that’s a random video chat platform, dating app or social networking app. From there, you can find people with similar interests and spark social connections — and maybe even a lasting friendship.

Here’s everything you need to know about making and keeping online friends, plus a few tips to get you started!

Benefits of Having Online Friends

Have you ever heard someone say that an online friend isn’t a “real friend” or that you should look elsewhere to find your people? Fortunately, that doesn’t have to be the case. Online friendships have a ton of value in real life — and even if you never meet anyone face-to-face, you can enjoy the benefits of a rich social life.

But what are those benefits? Check out these examples:

Boosting Your Mental Health

Studies have shown a “significant positive correlation” between online friendship and overall happiness. On top of that, friendship in general is known to help prevent depression and anxiety, change the way your brain responds to stress and enrich romantic relationships. Better yet, some of these benefits exist across every life stage, including teens transitioning to college life and older adults looking for a meaningful connection.

Some of this has to do with emotional support and a sense of belonging, but science suggests an even deeper connection. Although the research is old now, the story is still fascinating: Study participants thought hills were less steep when their friends were nearby. That means a good friendship can help you climb mountains literally and metaphorically!

Practicing Social Skills

Social skills come naturally to some people, but not everyone — and that’s OK. Whether you’ve always had trouble “just joining the conversation” or the COVID-19 lockdowns set your confidence back by a few years, the internet is a great place to practice.

That’s because apps and platforms put you in control. You can turn your camera on and off depending on your comfort level, type instead of talk, chat with people you’ll never have to see again and even walk away at any time. 

Of course, you can do some of the same things in real life, too. But the internet comes with a certain level of perceived safety — the anonymity, distance and comfort of keyboards and screens. Plus, when you feel more confident with your social skills, it’s easy to remove these limitations and make deeper offline connections.

Learning New Things

Have you ever wanted to explore different cultures from the comfort of your home? What about picking up a fun skill or hearing a story you would never have imagined? It’s all possible with online friendships. That’s because the digital environment breaks down barriers. 

And that doesn’t just mean geographical differences, either. The flexibility of online communities means people can connect across skills, languages, interests, personality types and more. You can connect with anyone who has a phone — and that means you have access to ideas and voices you may never have heard otherwise.

Having Real Experiences

An online social event is still a social event. While the digital world may have different parameters for what counts as an “experience,” your brain still knows you’re interacting with people. That means you can have rewarding interactions that check certain boxes, like fulfilling your day’s need for social interaction or practicing a skill, entirely online.

Building Your Circle

Not every online connection will turn into a lifelong friendship, but there’s nothing wrong with making casual friends. That way, you have people to do different things with; for example, some might become your online gaming group, while others have more fun in a book club. Plus, a bigger circle means you can connect with all kinds of different personalities — and when one friend is busy, you’ll have others to chat with.

*Models Depicted

Quick Tips and Strategies for Making New Friends Online

Making friends isn’t always easy. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to set yourself up for success so you’re ready to connect with the right person (or people!).

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

#1: Improve Your Profile

Profiles are a huge benefit when it comes to sparking meaningful friendships. After all, it would be awkward to walk up to someone in real life and rattle off your name, interests, skills, star sign and favorite joke. But you can include these details and even more in an online profile — that way, people know more about you right from the start.

This means your profile is an important tool for making online friends. Include fun, interesting details — just enough to share a sneak peek of your personality without sharing too much personal information. 

#2: Brush Up On Best Practices for Online Communication

When talking to new or potential internet friends, there are a lot of basic rules to keep in mind. For example, not everyone knows the connotations of certain emojis, so use them wisely. The same goes for sarcasm, friendly teasing and some jokes, particularly in typed communication, which can easily be misconstrued. You should also keep in mind that social conventions differ across cultures and languages.

#3: Try Icebreakers

Icebreakers help you “warm up to” new people by getting your mind off your nerves. Ideas include:

• Virtual scavenger hunts.
• Games like 20 Questions or Two Truths and a Lie.
• Pet introductions.
• One interesting fact about yourself, your job, your proudest accomplishment, etc.

These icebreakers are meant to be fast and fun, so don’t stress out about the details. Just jump in and start chatting!

#4: Choose Conversation Starters

What should you talk about when you first meet someone? Here are a few questions to kick off your conversation:

• “What superpower would you like to have?”
• “What animal would you be?”
• “What’s your go-to karaoke song?”
• “How would you survive a zombie apocalypse?”
• “Have you ever met anyone famous?”

To make things easier, have a list of conversation starters ready to go before you start chatting. That way, you’ll know what to say if there’s too much awkwardness.

#5: Join Different Communities

Don’t limit yourself to any one group of people. Instead, learn about communities and jump into whatever seems interesting. 

For example, maybe you’ve never pulled a rabbit out of a hat — but that means joining a group for practicing magic tricks is the perfect chance to try something new. You can also look for a common interest, like artistic talent or fashion and beauty, or follow an existing friend to a group they love.

#6: Have Meaningful Discussions

While icebreakers and conversation starters are great for your first few chats, meaningful friendships generally get deeper over time. That means you might want to try asking some big questions, like:

• “Who are your role models?”
• “What does love mean to you?”
• “What does happiness look like?”
• “What’s one thing you wish you could forget?”
• “Do you think people are inherently good?”
• “Do you have a life philosophy?”

#7: Keep Your New Friendship Alive

Friendships need to be maintained over time. Otherwise, busy lives and other distractions might cause you to drift apart. That’s why it’s important to keep your connection alive.

Start by making time for the other person. A quick check-in reminds them that you’re thinking about them — and it gives you both the chance to talk about anything bothering you. It’s also great to take the initiative and schedule meetups or events, particularly if your friend is too shy to do it themselves.

On top of that, remember to be flexible, honest and respectful. Pay attention to their boundaries and make sure they do the same for you. Even deep or difficult conversations don’t have to result in hurt feelings.

Ultimately, the secret to maintaining friendships is to put work into it. That can be frustrating, confusing and exhausting sometimes — but real friends are worth the effort.

Safety Tips for Online Friendships

Although the best chatting and social networking apps have built-in protections to protect your privacy, it’s important to pay attention to your own safety. Here are a few quick tips to help:

• Leave a chat any time. If the other person feels suspicious or makes you feel unsafe, remember that you don’t have to continue the conversation.
• Set healthy boundaries. Be clear about topics you’d rather not discuss and don’t let anyone pressure you into changing your mind.
• Look for red flags. Is your chatting partner asking for money or personal information? Do they refuse to turn on their web cam even after weeks or months of chatting? Are they trying to convince you to meet up in real life or keep your chats secret? These could all be signs that something isn’t right.
• Think before sending any message: Remember, if you say or post anything online (or in a supposedly private chat), someone else could take a screenshot. Be smart about what you share and don’t disclose too many details about your life.
• Ask for support: If you have questions about anything in an online friendship, ask someone you know in real life — like a parent, friend or sibling. You can also see if your chatting app has a support feature for FAQs.

Remember, safety is the foundation of any good friendship!

The Best Apps for Making Friends Online

Whether you’re looking for a potential friend or want to strengthen connections with existing ones, you need the right tools for the job. Fortunately, there are plenty of apps to spark that real friendship you’re looking for.

Here are just a few apps and platforms to try:

Tools for Video Chats

Did you know that talking to strangers can be incredibly rewarding? Studies show that these conversations often create more happiness (and far less awkwardness) than people expect. Add the excitement of meeting someone new over video chat, and you have a fun way to make friends.

Tools like Azar put that opportunity in your hands, connecting you with people from all over the world. Close friends could be just a few clicks away!

Tools for Online Gaming

Whether you’re a pro or just a casual player, online games are a great way to have adventures and build rapport with new friends. 

Start with a platform like Steam or Epic Games. Then, add in any additional systems you need to make the game more fun — including video chat tools like Azar, voice calling and messaging software like Discord or even streaming platforms like Twitch or YouTube.

Tools for Virtual Meetings

If you want to connect with a lot of people at once, you might need a virtual meeting room. Popular options like Zoom and Google Meet could do the trick, but don’t be afraid to get creative. Some people have hosted meetings inside online games or virtual reality chatrooms to keep things fun.

Tools for Group Projects

Maybe your friends are making a movie, writing a comic or planning a surprise together. If that’s the case, you’ll need collaboration tools. Start with options that are likely familiar to most people, like Google Workspace, which includes Google Docs and Google Drive. You can also use chat tools like Slack, Discord or Facebook Messenger to stay connected between projects or tasks. 

Start Making New Friends Today!

You know the benefits. You have the tools, tips and tricks. You even know the best apps for making friends online. There’s nothing stopping you — it’s time to find your people.

Start chatting now!

   

*Hyperconnect LLC does not operate these services. Azar is a separate service.